Croatia erupts in joy over historic final

Fans all across country celebrate side’s 2-1 win in semi-final over England

ZAGREB: Tears and cries of joy, hugs and chants, firecrackers and flares — Croatia was on fire late on Wednesday after their victory against England set up their first-ever appearance in a World Cup final.

"Croatia in World Cup finals! It is so beautiful! Miracle of all miracles in Russia!" the state-run HRT television commentator Drago Cosic shouted ecstatically.

Croatia beat England 2-1 in extra-time thanks to a Mario Mandzukic goal in the second period of extra-time to book a date with France in Moscow on Sunday.

Thousands of fans gathered at the country's largest fan zone in Zagreb's main square, braving intermittent rain to cheer on the "Fiery Ones" (Vatreni) on a giant screen.

"We can be proud and happy ... we don't want to stop here," Croatia's star player Luka Modric told HRT

"Only great teams can be so courageous and make a comeback after trailing 1-0 against England," Mandzukic said. "We were losing and we returned, we were like lions."

Local media praised the players as heroes.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of fans throughout the country, from the northen port of Rijeka to Dubrovnik in the south, or in the eastern city Osijek, celebrated the victory on the streets and squares, singing popular fans songs and waving Croatia red-white-blue flags.

"This is a highly emotional evening! I'm so proud, a big victory for all of us!" said Fran Kulic, 23, celebrating with friends in downtown Zagreb.

Milena Bacic, a 36-year-old teacher, dressed in red-and-white jersey with Modric's name was dancing with her friends and said she intended to "party till dawn".

"Play my Croatia, when I see you my heart is on fire!," a popular song was played all day long on radio stations while waiters, shop workers, TV presenters and nurses donned red-and-white jerseys.

Some stores closed early to enable employees to watch the match, with various concerts, plays and cinema screenings cancelled.

For the past few weeks Modric's side have been feted as national heroes for their run to the last four in Russia.

They matched the feat of their predecessors in 1998 who reached the semi-finals in the country's first World Cup as an independent nation.

But on Wednesday night Dalic's players did even better, securing a historic first World Cup final for the country of about four million people.